Kid dies on amusement park ride

Bob001 · 25th March 2022, 07:57 PM

A 14-year-old boy fell out of his seat to his death on a 430-foot-high tower drop ride in Orlando. There apparently are videos of riders questioning whether they were belted in properly, and another showing the actual fall. Absolutely chilling.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/ic...ide/ar-AAVukKJ
https://www.clickorlando.com/news/lo...o-thrill-ride/

newyorkguy · 26th March 2022, 06:10 AM

There's video showing the 14-year-old falling, then lying motionless, face down on the ground inside the ride area. A man was there with friends who decided to take the ride. Instead of riding he stayed on the ground to video the event. He's heard saying he especially wants to see his friend's expressions immediately afterwards.

At 3:40 of his video you can see a figure begin to fall from the ride. You see the person come plummeting down and hear the body slam into the ground. Then screaming and calls to get help.

Below is a link to the video on Twitter. It is upsetting. I presume it's okay to link. It's been viewed 2.7 million times.

Warp12 · 26th March 2022, 06:13 AM

This ride offers an experience that is a little bit too authentic, imo.

The father says the kid was a "gentle giant". My experience, at 250 lbs at an amusement park, was that there are some challenges with larger riders. When I did a drop tower they came back a second time to secure me. On another ride the straps were left very loose. I decided not to return until I was more "normal" sized.

Since the ejection occurred on decel, I wonder if a buckle or such failed?

Bob001 · 26th March 2022, 09:39 AM

Originally Posted by Warp12

This ride offers an experience that is a little bit too authentic, imo.

The father says the kid was a "gentle giant". My experience, at 250 lbs at an amusement park, was that there are some challenges with larger riders. When I did a drop tower they came back a second time to secure me. On another ride the straps were left very loose. I decided not to return until I was more "normal" sized.

Since the ejection occurred on decel, I wonder if a buckle or such failed?

Whatever happened shouldn't have been possible. Somebody representing the operator claimed that the ride can't function if riders aren't strapped in properly. Obviously, not always.

RecoveringYuppy · 26th March 2022, 10:00 AM

Originally Posted by Bob001

Whatever happened shouldn't have been possible. Somebody representing the operator claimed that the ride can't function if riders aren't strapped in properly. Obviously, not always.

Well, obviously, not always. It's never possible to guard against all failures.

If the failure occurred right at the time the kid fell, then there is not much a safety system can do. Stopping faster makes it worse, not stopping kills or injures everyone.

Warp12 · 26th March 2022, 10:04 AM

Originally Posted by Bob001

Whatever happened shouldn't have been possible. Somebody representing the operator claimed that the ride can't function if riders aren't strapped in properly. Obviously, not always.

That doesn't eliminate the potential failure of the straps and/or restraint hardware.

Warp12 · 26th March 2022, 10:50 AM

Quote:

Sampson was 6 feet, 5 inches tall and weighed 330 pounds, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Rides often have a weight limit for individuals. 330 lbs seems awfully large for a ride like this. Even so, I wonder what the safety factor is on the restraint system, if properly fitted?

Rolfe · 26th March 2022, 10:55 AM

How does anyone get to be that big at fourteen? But presumably there are adults of a similar size wanting to ride, so if it's not safe at that size I'd have thought this would have happened before.

Bob001 · 26th March 2022, 11:11 AM

Family has hired high-profile lawyers.

Quote:

The family of the 14-year-old boy who fell to his death while on the Free Fall ride at ICON Park late Thursday will be represented by civil rights lawyer Ben Crump and personal injury attorney Bob Hilliard, according to a press release.

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/news...eey-story.html

Olmstead · 26th March 2022, 11:29 AM

Originally Posted by newyorkguy

There's video showing the 14-year-old falling, then lying motionless, face down on the ground inside the ride area. A man was there with friends who decided to take the ride. Instead of riding he stayed on the ground to video the event. He's heard saying he especially wants to see his friend's expressions immediately afterwards.

At 3:40 of his video you can see a figure begin to fall from the ride. You see the person come plummeting down and hear the body slam into the ground. Then screaming and calls to get help.

Below is a link to the video on Twitter. It is upsetting. I presume it's okay to link. It's been viewed 2.7 million times.

At the beginning, you can see the boy who dies on the left side of the video. The harness things looks to be a little high, but maybe that's still normal?

Bob001 · 26th March 2022, 11:31 AM

Originally Posted by Warp12

That doesn't eliminate the potential failure of the straps and/or restraint hardware.

There should be backups in case of failure. But that would cost money.

Quote:

Brian Avery, an independent ride safety consultant and lecturer at the University of Florida, said it is difficult to tell what led to the accident from the publicly available information.

“It could be a multitude of issues, either operator failure in some capacity, it could be a patron-related failure in some capacity, it could be a manufacturer defect [or] it could be a maintenance issue,” he said. “It will take some time to unpack through a series of investigations.”
.....
While over-the-shoulder harnesses, like those used on the Orlando Free Fall, are the “generally accepted practice” for drop tower-type rides, ride manufacturers often install a secondary safety mechanism like a seatbelt that attaches the harness to the seat, Avery said. If the harness system fails, the safety latch or seatbelt would prevent it from rising.

Avery and his father, Bill Avery, have been advocating for “secondary failsafe mechanisms” on amusement rides for decades, he said.

But sometimes operators forgo these backup safety measures because the extra time it takes to secure and check them can result in fewer riders per hour, he said. He added that there are no state or industry standards that require rides to have these secondary mechanisms.

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/news...bsa-story.html

So it wasn't as safe as it could have been. It's hard to understand why it wouldn't at least have the same kind of harness cars use. That's a shoulder and waist belt, but still just one buckle. I also note that the seat doesn't have any kind of footrail or step the rider could use to push himself back if he starts to slide forward.

Also, at the beginning of one of the videos, as the ride is rising, you can hear one of the operators shout "On the left! Seat belt!" If that means he could see it wasn't locked and didn't stop the ride, that's a problem.

Bob001 · 26th March 2022, 11:34 AM

Originally Posted by newyorkguy

....
Below is a link to the video on Twitter. It is upsetting. I presume it's okay to link. It's been viewed 2.7 million times.

I note that the video is now age-restricted and requires a Twitter sign-on.

Olmstead · 26th March 2022, 11:42 AM

Originally Posted by Bob001

[...]

Also, at the beginning of one of the videos, as the ride is rising, you can hear one of the operators shout "On the left! Seat belt!" If that means he could see it wasn't locked and didn't stop the ride, that's a problem.

I don't think there are any seat belts. In the video, one of the crew is joking around with a girl. She asks him why there is no seat belt like on other rides, and he tells her that there aren't any. When the ride starts rising, he seems to say it as a joke, as in, "Oh crap, you don't have a seat belt, well, too late now."

newyorkguy · 26th March 2022, 01:00 PM

Originally Posted by Bob001

I note that the video is now age-restricted and requires a Twitter sign-on.

I can open the video by clicking "View" on the middle right. See below. I circled View. Possibly you're required to be signed in to a Twitter account? I am.

The video is also available on YouTube:

Warp12 · 26th March 2022, 01:36 PM

The sound of impact is the worst part of the video. I watched a vid of a guy jumping off a building...the sound is what stuck with me. It's just horrible.

Skeptical Greg · 26th March 2022, 03:10 PM

Quote:

.the sound is what stuck with me. It's just horrible.

Indeed.. That must really be the worst part..

Rolfe · 26th March 2022, 04:35 PM

People who were at the twin towers on 9/11 say they were hearing that every few seconds.

cullennz · 26th March 2022, 04:41 PM

Originally Posted by Rolfe

People who were at the twin towers on 9/11 say they were hearing that every few seconds.

Remember that from watching the initial footage live of people jumping before someone must have decided it might be a good idea to start censoring the coverage. Was not nice.

Remember wondering how many people might not come off too well walking round underneath and being hit by them as well.

Rolfe · 26th March 2022, 05:13 PM

I heard about at least one person who was killed by someone who jumped. I won't say a falling body, because the person was alive until they hit the ground - or rather the person they killed. It must have been horrendous.

Skeptic Ginger · 26th March 2022, 05:26 PM

Originally Posted by newyorkguy

There's video showing the 14-year-old falling, then lying motionless, face down on the ground inside the ride area. A man was there with friends who decided to take the ride. Instead of riding he stayed on the ground to video the event. He's heard saying he especially wants to see his friend's expressions immediately afterwards.

At 3:40 of his video you can see a figure begin to fall from the ride. You see the person come plummeting down and hear the body slam into the ground. Then screaming and calls to get help.

Below is a link to the video on Twitter. It is upsetting. I presume it's okay to link. It's been viewed 2.7 million times.

That's a horrid thud. I don't see how he fell out unless he panicked or something. If you're on a ride that's spinning, I could see it. I went flying off a playground merry-go-round spinny thing some bigger kids were pushing real hard. My hands lost their grip. But that thing's not spinning. And going down he wouldn't be tossed out like that, it would have been forced up into the bar-harness. And you'd be holding tight to that bar.

I'm not saying he jumped, that makes no sense. But I'm trying to figure out the forces that would have made him fall out.

ETA: the force could have cased the harness bar to fly up if it wasn't properly latched and it could be the bar didn't latch with a large person in the seat. But what pushed the kid out? Panic, trying to reach the bar to pull it back? You can see him kicking his feet before he slides out of the seat.

Mike! · 26th March 2022, 05:56 PM

Originally Posted by Skeptic Ginger

That's a horrid thud. I don't see how he fell out unless he panicked or something. If you're on a ride that's spinning, I could see it. I went flying off a playground merry-go-round spinny thing some bigger kids were pushing real hard. My hands lost their grip. But that thing's not spinning. And going down he wouldn't be tossed out like that, it would have been forced up into the bar-harness. And you'd be holding tight to that bar.

I'm not saying he jumped, that makes no sense. But I'm trying to figure out the forces that would have made him fall out.

ETA: the force could have cased the harness bar to fly up if it wasn't properly latched and it could be the bar didn't latch with a large person in the seat. But what pushed the kid out? Panic, trying to reach the bar to pull it back? You can see him kicking his feet before he slides out of the seat.

His friends are being quoted as saying he was panicking before the ride started dropping, saying something to the effect of, "If something goes wrong tell my mom and dad I love them." I wonder if he was having some kind of panic attack from the heights themselves, and in the process he damaged the safety armature somehow? How strong would the restraint mechanism be? Obviously it's built with simple, repeatable, passive restraint in mind. But how much applied force could it withstand if an individual with above average strength was moving in ways it was never intended to protect against?

Olmstead · 26th March 2022, 05:57 PM

Originally Posted by Skeptic Ginger

That's a horrid thud. I don't see how he fell out unless he panicked or something. If you're on a ride that's spinning, I could see it. I went flying off a playground merry-go-round spinny thing some bigger kids were pushing real hard. My hands lost their grip. But that thing's not spinning. And going down he wouldn't be tossed out like that, it would have been forced up into the bar-harness. And you'd be holding tight to that bar.

I'm not saying he jumped, that makes no sense. But I'm trying to figure out the forces that would have made him fall out.

ETA: the force could have cased the harness bar to fly up if it wasn't properly latched and it could be the bar didn't latch with a large person in the seat. But what pushed the kid out? Panic, trying to reach the bar to pull it back? You can see him kicking his feet before he slides out of the seat.

Wouldn't he be pushed down as the ride decelerates?

cullennz · 26th March 2022, 06:17 PM

Originally Posted by Olmstead

Wouldn't he be pushed down as the ride decelerates?

Logic would say pushed up while the ride was falling.

Down while rising.

Have a feeling it might be just too big a kid let on it who as someone else said may have had a panic attack over heights.

I know personally I would have a small panic attack being on that thing. Heights freak the crap out of me. Especially not being enclosed in something.

Even planes freak me out and II refuse window seats.

Skeptic Ginger · 26th March 2022, 06:19 PM

Originally Posted by Olmstead

Wouldn't he be pushed down as the ride decelerates?

Not 'pushed' down but if the ride slowed and he didn't that could happen. But it would have to be dramatic slowing I would think to keep him from holding on.

I also wonder if he was too big for the seat making it so he wasn't back far enough. If a person is too large for a chair it forces the person to sit too far forward in it.

cullennz · 26th March 2022, 06:30 PM

Having said that, when I say I would have a panic attack on that and too be frank wouldn't go near it, there is no ***** way I would be messing anything holding me onto it though.

I Should point out I had a slight panic attack just taking some kiwi relatives who came to London while I was living there and I stupidly thought the London Eye might be a good excursion for them.

Was litterally sitting on the floor of the pod thing like an idiot with my eyes shut.

I was brought up in the South Island and couldn't even handle hanging out in the Alps

It is a real thing with some people and heights, believe me

Skeptic Ginger · 26th March 2022, 06:31 PM

Originally Posted by cullennz

Logic would say pushed up while the ride was falling.

Down while rising.

Have a feeling it might be just too big a kid let on it who as someone else said may have had a panic attack over heights.

I know personally I would have a small panic attack being on that thing. Heights freak the crap out of me. Especially not being enclosed in something.

Even planes freak me out and II refuse window seats.

My son has a serious fear of heights so he surprised the heck out of me when he decided we should go on the ride in Las Vegas where it starts at the top of a Stratosphere Hotel and from there you fly up and come back down. Afterwards both of us vowed never to do that again.

YouTube Video This video is not hosted by the ISF. The ISF can not be held responsible for the suitability or legality of this material. By clicking the link below you agree to view content from an external website.

I AGREE

cullennz · 26th March 2022, 06:37 PM

Originally Posted by Mike!

His friends are being quoted as saying he was panicking before the ride started dropping, saying something to the effect of, "If something goes wrong tell my mom and dad I love them." I wonder if he was having some kind of panic attack from the heights themselves, and in the process he damaged the safety armature somehow? How strong would the restraint mechanism be?

Think this is the most telling point.

You would think if people had a brain they would have installed some sort of panic button in each position.

Would mean it makes other people wait for a bit while it is lowered at normal speed and they are let out, but tough tits.

Skeptic Ginger · 26th March 2022, 06:44 PM

Originally Posted by cullennz

Having said that, when I say I would have a panic attack on that and too be frank wouldn't go near it, there is no ***** way I would be messing anything holding me onto it though.

I Should point out I had a slight panic attack just taking some kiwi relatives who came to London while I was living there and I stupidly thought the London Eye might be a good excursion for them.

Was litterally sitting on the floor of the pod thing like an idiot with my eyes shut.

I was brought up in the South Island and couldn't even handle hanging out in the Alps

It is a real thing with some people and heights, believe me

We went on one where the passenger cars slide back and forth on a track as well as going around the wheel. I couldn't wait to get off the thing.

Mike! · 26th March 2022, 06:48 PM

Originally Posted by Skeptic Ginger

My son has a serious fear of heights so he surprised the heck out of me when he decided we should go on the ride in Las Vegas where it starts at the top of a Stratosphere Hotel and from there you fly up and come back down. Afterwards both of us vowed never to do that again.

YouTube Video This video is not hosted by the ISF. The ISF can not be held responsible for the suitability or legality of this material. By clicking the link below you agree to view content from an external website.

I AGREE

I notice that ride has the extra safety belt the ride the kid died on lacked. One simple extra safety feature could have prevented this tragedy.

mgidm86 · 26th March 2022, 07:22 PM

I don't trust rides like that anymore. I think too much about how the ride is built, wondering if the dude who put the bolts on was high at the time.

I think I developed this "fear" after being at a carnival and seeing the druggies who would work there. ****. That.

I do not want to watch the video.

I will add that America is a nation of fat people, so any ride should be able to hold a 300 pound person no problem (my opinion).

cullennz · 26th March 2022, 07:46 PM

Originally Posted by mgidm86

I will add that America is a nation of fat people, so any ride should be able to hold a 300 pound person no problem (my opinion).

Never really been that great at the whole conversion thing of the top of my head thing, and have never had a very good idea about pounds.

Just actually did a conversion online to KG. That is 136kg. Your average All Black rugby player is about 112kg and they are fricken massive.

What sort of idiot would let someone that size on that thing?

Even Jonah Lomu was only 120kg (265 pounds) at 6 foot 5

Putting aside the argument what sort of parent lets their kid get that size, as unkind.

Bob001 · 26th March 2022, 07:53 PM

Originally Posted by Skeptic Ginger

That's a horrid thud. I don't see how he fell out unless he panicked or something. If you're on a ride that's spinning, I could see it. I went flying off a playground merry-go-round spinny thing some bigger kids were pushing real hard. My hands lost their grip. But that thing's not spinning. And going down he wouldn't be tossed out like that, it would have been forced up into the bar-harness. And you'd be holding tight to that bar.

I'm not saying he jumped, that makes no sense. But I'm trying to figure out .....

This might be part of the problem:

Quote:

At Free Fall's peak, riders are tilted forward, putting additional pressure on the safety harness as it drops.

https://www.wesh.com/article/orlando...afety/39542387

So extra stress, no footrest and no waist belt. Not a good combination.

cullennz · 26th March 2022, 08:07 PM

Just noticed the post with reports saying the kid was actually 330 pounds.

That is basically about 150kg

The weight of 2 normal sized kids or even 2 smaller type adults in one seat. Surely that must be an error?, or the people who run the thing deserve to pay whatever it takes for letting the dude on the thing.

In fact given this maybe the geezers heart just gave out and heart attack, given the panic attack mentioned, and he just slid out.

cullennz · 26th March 2022, 08:13 PM

If the kid was carry that sort of weight round all day at 14 I think him having the strength to break the thing holding him in is kind of confirmed.

Unless he had to have a wheel chair, but can't see that mentioned.

Warp12 · 26th March 2022, 08:16 PM

Originally Posted by cullennz

If the kid was carry that sort of weight round all day at 14 I think him having the strength to break the thing holding him in is kind of confirmed.

Unless he had to have a wheel chair, but can't see that mentioned.

I'm fairly certain that the forces applied due to his weight and the physics of the ride are far more significant factors than his physical strength. But I don't design these things, so who knows.

cullennz · 26th March 2022, 08:37 PM

Originally Posted by Warp12

I'm fairly certain that the forces applied due to his weight and the physics of the ride are far more significant factors than his physical strength. But I don't design these things, so who knows.

Tending after thinking more, taking into the size of the kid, the quotes from people hearing him at the top which sounded like a panic attack, it probably was basically a clinically obese in the extreme boy, who should never have been allowed on the thing in the first place's heart going "Buy buy boss" when it fell and there might not be contingency built in for unconcious people, and they could just slide under.

My ruling,,,,,,, As like Judge Dredd, my word is law.

Parents were crap (said I wasn't going to mention them, but needs to be said). Ride runner to blame for letting the dude on there. Company who hires him to blame for hiring a complete dumb arse.

Whether that means the parents should be entitled for some massive pay out for letting their kid get so fat and not having responsibility for what stupid rides he got on at 14 is beyond my knowledge of US law.

Having said that with the parents. I do feel sorry for the idiots. Losing kids before yourself must be the most horrible thing known to man I think.

theprestige · 26th March 2022, 09:10 PM

Technically he didn't die on the ride.

cullennz · 26th March 2022, 09:16 PM

Originally Posted by theprestige

Technically he didn't die on the ride.

Becoming unconcious from your heart giving out doesn't kill you straight away.

Falling from a Boeing 787 doesn't kill you.

It is the hitting the ground, but we are looking for likely reasons why he fell in the first place.

Even if the dude survived that fall, frankly if it was me I would rather be brown bread given what injuries he would have had if he lived.

Secretly wouldn't surprise me if someone with a bit of pity at the hospital decided that.

cullennz · 26th March 2022, 09:32 PM

Actually 787 analogy is on second thoughts, not great.

You would have frozen to death half way down Lol

Bob001 · 26th March 2022, 10:14 PM

Originally Posted by cullennz

....
Even if the dude survived that fall, frankly if it was me I would rather be brown bread given what injuries he would have had if he lived.

Secretly wouldn't surprise me if someone with a bit of pity at the hospital decided that.

I would like to believe that our doctors and nurses don't murder people.

Actually, if he could have survived the immediate trauma and internal injuries, he might have recovered fully. People have survived terrible traffic accidents and falls from planes with unopened parachutes and recovered.

25th March 2022, 07:57 PM	#1
Bob001 Penultimate Amazing Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: US of A Posts: 16,576	Kid dies on amusement park ride A 14-year-old boy fell out of his seat to his death on a 430-foot-high tower drop ride in Orlando. There apparently are videos of riders questioning whether they were belted in properly, and another showing the actual fall. Absolutely chilling. https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/ic...ide/ar-AAVukKJ https://www.clickorlando.com/news/lo...o-thrill-ride/

26th March 2022, 06:10 AM	#2
newyorkguy Penultimate Amazing Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: NY Posts: 12,891	There's video showing the 14-year-old falling, then lying motionless, face down on the ground inside the ride area. A man was there with friends who decided to take the ride. Instead of riding he stayed on the ground to video the event. He's heard saying he especially wants to see his friend's expressions immediately afterwards. At 3:40 of his video you can see a figure begin to fall from the ride. You see the person come plummeting down and hear the body slam into the ground. Then screaming and calls to get help. Below is a link to the video on Twitter. It is upsetting. I presume it's okay to link. It's been viewed 2.7 million times. Boy falls from Thrill Ride
	Last edited by Darat; 26th March 2022 at 06:23 AM. Reason: Added NSFW around video link

26th March 2022, 06:13 AM	#3
Warp12 Banned Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: USA Posts: 7,583	This ride offers an experience that is a little bit too authentic, imo. The father says the kid was a "gentle giant". My experience, at 250 lbs at an amusement park, was that there are some challenges with larger riders. When I did a drop tower they came back a second time to secure me. On another ride the straps were left very loose. I decided not to return until I was more "normal" sized. Since the ejection occurred on decel, I wonder if a buckle or such failed?
	Last edited by Warp12; 26th March 2022 at 06:16 AM.

26th March 2022, 10:04 AM	#6
Warp12 Banned Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: USA Posts: 7,583	Originally Posted by Bob001 Whatever happened shouldn't have been possible. Somebody representing the operator claimed that the ride can't function if riders aren't strapped in properly. Obviously, not always. That doesn't eliminate the potential failure of the straps and/or restraint hardware.
	Last edited by Warp12; 26th March 2022 at 10:06 AM.

26th March 2022, 10:55 AM	#8
Rolfe Adult human female Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: NT 150 511 Posts: 50,593	How does anyone get to be that big at fourteen? But presumably there are adults of a similar size wanting to ride, so if it's not safe at that size I'd have thought this would have happened before.
	__________________ "The way we vote will depend, ultimately, on whether we are persuaded to hope or to fear." - Aonghas MacNeacail, June 2012.

26th March 2022, 09:39 AM	#4
Bob001 Penultimate Amazing Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: US of A Posts: 16,576	Originally Posted by Warp12 This ride offers an experience that is a little bit too authentic, imo. The father says the kid was a "gentle giant". My experience, at 250 lbs at an amusement park, was that there are some challenges with larger riders. When I did a drop tower they came back a second time to secure me. On another ride the straps were left very loose. I decided not to return until I was more "normal" sized. Since the ejection occurred on decel, I wonder if a buckle or such failed? Whatever happened shouldn't have been possible. Somebody representing the operator claimed that the ride can't function if riders aren't strapped in properly. Obviously, not always.

26th March 2022, 10:00 AM	#5
RecoveringYuppy Penultimate Amazing Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 14,185	Originally Posted by Bob001 Whatever happened shouldn't have been possible. Somebody representing the operator claimed that the ride can't function if riders aren't strapped in properly. Obviously, not always. Well, obviously, not always. It's never possible to guard against all failures. If the failure occurred right at the time the kid fell, then there is not much a safety system can do. Stopping faster makes it worse, not stopping kills or injures everyone.

26th March 2022, 10:50 AM	#7
Warp12 Banned Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: USA Posts: 7,583	Quote: Sampson was 6 feet, 5 inches tall and weighed 330 pounds, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch Rides often have a weight limit for individuals. 330 lbs seems awfully large for a ride like this. Even so, I wonder what the safety factor is on the restraint system, if properly fitted?

26th March 2022, 11:11 AM	#9
Bob001 Penultimate Amazing Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: US of A Posts: 16,576	Family has hired high-profile lawyers. Quote: The family of the 14-year-old boy who fell to his death while on the Free Fall ride at ICON Park late Thursday will be represented by civil rights lawyer Ben Crump and personal injury attorney Bob Hilliard, according to a press release. https://www.orlandosentinel.com/news...eey-story.html

26th March 2022, 11:29 AM	#10
Olmstead Graduate Poster Join Date: Dec 2018 Posts: 1,404	Originally Posted by newyorkguy There's video showing the 14-year-old falling, then lying motionless, face down on the ground inside the ride area. A man was there with friends who decided to take the ride. Instead of riding he stayed on the ground to video the event. He's heard saying he especially wants to see his friend's expressions immediately afterwards. At 3:40 of his video you can see a figure begin to fall from the ride. You see the person come plummeting down and hear the body slam into the ground. Then screaming and calls to get help. Below is a link to the video on Twitter. It is upsetting. I presume it's okay to link. It's been viewed 2.7 million times. Boy falls from Thrill Ride At the beginning, you can see the boy who dies on the left side of the video. The harness things looks to be a little high, but maybe that's still normal?

26th March 2022, 11:31 AM	#11
Bob001 Penultimate Amazing Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: US of A Posts: 16,576	Originally Posted by Warp12 That doesn't eliminate the potential failure of the straps and/or restraint hardware. There should be backups in case of failure. But that would cost money. Quote: Brian Avery, an independent ride safety consultant and lecturer at the University of Florida, said it is difficult to tell what led to the accident from the publicly available information. “It could be a multitude of issues, either operator failure in some capacity, it could be a patron-related failure in some capacity, it could be a manufacturer defect [or] it could be a maintenance issue,” he said. “It will take some time to unpack through a series of investigations.” ..... While over-the-shoulder harnesses, like those used on the Orlando Free Fall, are the “generally accepted practice” for drop tower-type rides, ride manufacturers often install a secondary safety mechanism like a seatbelt that attaches the harness to the seat, Avery said. If the harness system fails, the safety latch or seatbelt would prevent it from rising. Avery and his father, Bill Avery, have been advocating for “secondary failsafe mechanisms” on amusement rides for decades, he said. But sometimes operators forgo these backup safety measures because the extra time it takes to secure and check them can result in fewer riders per hour, he said. He added that there are no state or industry standards that require rides to have these secondary mechanisms. https://www.orlandosentinel.com/news...bsa-story.html So it wasn't as safe as it could have been. It's hard to understand why it wouldn't at least have the same kind of harness cars use. That's a shoulder and waist belt, but still just one buckle. I also note that the seat doesn't have any kind of footrail or step the rider could use to push himself back if he starts to slide forward. Also, at the beginning of one of the videos, as the ride is rising, you can hear one of the operators shout "On the left! Seat belt!" If that means he could see it wasn't locked and didn't stop the ride, that's a problem.
	Last edited by Bob001; 26th March 2022 at 11:40 AM.

26th March 2022, 11:34 AM	#12
Bob001 Penultimate Amazing Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: US of A Posts: 16,576	Originally Posted by newyorkguy .... Below is a link to the video on Twitter. It is upsetting. I presume it's okay to link. It's been viewed 2.7 million times. Boy falls from Thrill Ride I note that the video is now age-restricted and requires a Twitter sign-on.
	Last edited by Bob001; 26th March 2022 at 11:51 AM.

26th March 2022, 11:42 AM	#13
Olmstead Graduate Poster Join Date: Dec 2018 Posts: 1,404	Originally Posted by Bob001 [...] Also, at the beginning of one of the videos, as the ride is rising, you can hear one of the operators shout "On the left! Seat belt!" If that means he could see it wasn't locked and didn't stop the ride, that's a problem. I don't think there are any seat belts. In the video, one of the crew is joking around with a girl. She asks him why there is no seat belt like on other rides, and he tells her that there aren't any. When the ride starts rising, he seems to say it as a joke, as in, "Oh crap, you don't have a seat belt, well, too late now."

26th March 2022, 01:36 PM	#15
Warp12 Banned Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: USA Posts: 7,583	The sound of impact is the worst part of the video. I watched a vid of a guy jumping off a building...the sound is what stuck with me. It's just horrible.
	Last edited by Warp12; 26th March 2022 at 03:23 PM.

26th March 2022, 03:10 PM	#16
Skeptical Greg Agave Wine Connoisseur Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Just past ' Resume Speed ' . Posts: 18,567	Quote: .the sound is what stuck with me. It's just horrible. Indeed.. That must really be the worst part..
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26th March 2022, 04:35 PM	#17
Rolfe Adult human female Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: NT 150 511 Posts: 50,593	People who were at the twin towers on 9/11 say they were hearing that every few seconds.
	__________________ "The way we vote will depend, ultimately, on whether we are persuaded to hope or to fear." - Aonghas MacNeacail, June 2012.

26th March 2022, 04:41 PM	#18
cullennz Banned Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: NZ Posts: 21,318	Originally Posted by Rolfe People who were at the twin towers on 9/11 say they were hearing that every few seconds. Remember that from watching the initial footage live of people jumping before someone must have decided it might be a good idea to start censoring the coverage. Was not nice. Remember wondering how many people might not come off too well walking round underneath and being hit by them as well.

26th March 2022, 05:13 PM	#19
Rolfe Adult human female Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: NT 150 511 Posts: 50,593	I heard about at least one person who was killed by someone who jumped. I won't say a falling body, because the person was alive until they hit the ground - or rather the person they killed. It must have been horrendous.
	__________________ "The way we vote will depend, ultimately, on whether we are persuaded to hope or to fear." - Aonghas MacNeacail, June 2012.

26th March 2022, 05:26 PM	#20
Skeptic Ginger Nasty Woman Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 93,408	Originally Posted by newyorkguy There's video showing the 14-year-old falling, then lying motionless, face down on the ground inside the ride area. A man was there with friends who decided to take the ride. Instead of riding he stayed on the ground to video the event. He's heard saying he especially wants to see his friend's expressions immediately afterwards. At 3:40 of his video you can see a figure begin to fall from the ride. You see the person come plummeting down and hear the body slam into the ground. Then screaming and calls to get help. Below is a link to the video on Twitter. It is upsetting. I presume it's okay to link. It's been viewed 2.7 million times. Boy falls from Thrill Ride That's a horrid thud. I don't see how he fell out unless he panicked or something. If you're on a ride that's spinning, I could see it. I went flying off a playground merry-go-round spinny thing some bigger kids were pushing real hard. My hands lost their grip. But that thing's not spinning. And going down he wouldn't be tossed out like that, it would have been forced up into the bar-harness. And you'd be holding tight to that bar. I'm not saying he jumped, that makes no sense. But I'm trying to figure out the forces that would have made him fall out. ETA: the force could have cased the harness bar to fly up if it wasn't properly latched and it could be the bar didn't latch with a large person in the seat. But what pushed the kid out? Panic, trying to reach the bar to pull it back? You can see him kicking his feet before he slides out of the seat.
	Last edited by Skeptic Ginger; 26th March 2022 at 05:36 PM.

26th March 2022, 05:56 PM	#21
Mike! Official Ponylandistanian National Treasure. Respect it! Join Date: May 2010 Location: Ponylandistan! Where the bacon grows on trees! Can it get any better than that? I submit it can not! Posts: 49,444	Originally Posted by Skeptic Ginger That's a horrid thud. I don't see how he fell out unless he panicked or something. If you're on a ride that's spinning, I could see it. I went flying off a playground merry-go-round spinny thing some bigger kids were pushing real hard. My hands lost their grip. But that thing's not spinning. And going down he wouldn't be tossed out like that, it would have been forced up into the bar-harness. And you'd be holding tight to that bar. I'm not saying he jumped, that makes no sense. But I'm trying to figure out the forces that would have made him fall out. ETA: the force could have cased the harness bar to fly up if it wasn't properly latched and it could be the bar didn't latch with a large person in the seat. But what pushed the kid out? Panic, trying to reach the bar to pull it back? You can see him kicking his feet before he slides out of the seat. His friends are being quoted as saying he was panicking before the ride started dropping, saying something to the effect of, "If something goes wrong tell my mom and dad I love them." I wonder if he was having some kind of panic attack from the heights themselves, and in the process he damaged the safety armature somehow? How strong would the restraint mechanism be? Obviously it's built with simple, repeatable, passive restraint in mind. But how much applied force could it withstand if an individual with above average strength was moving in ways it was never intended to protect against?
	__________________ "Never judge a man until you’ve walked a mile in his shoes... Because then it won't really matter, you’ll be a mile away and have his shoes."

26th March 2022, 05:57 PM	#22
Olmstead Graduate Poster Join Date: Dec 2018 Posts: 1,404	Originally Posted by Skeptic Ginger That's a horrid thud. I don't see how he fell out unless he panicked or something. If you're on a ride that's spinning, I could see it. I went flying off a playground merry-go-round spinny thing some bigger kids were pushing real hard. My hands lost their grip. But that thing's not spinning. And going down he wouldn't be tossed out like that, it would have been forced up into the bar-harness. And you'd be holding tight to that bar. I'm not saying he jumped, that makes no sense. But I'm trying to figure out the forces that would have made him fall out. ETA: the force could have cased the harness bar to fly up if it wasn't properly latched and it could be the bar didn't latch with a large person in the seat. But what pushed the kid out? Panic, trying to reach the bar to pull it back? You can see him kicking his feet before he slides out of the seat. Wouldn't he be pushed down as the ride decelerates?

26th March 2022, 06:17 PM	#23
cullennz Banned Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: NZ Posts: 21,318	Originally Posted by Olmstead Wouldn't he be pushed down as the ride decelerates? Logic would say pushed up while the ride was falling. Down while rising. Have a feeling it might be just too big a kid let on it who as someone else said may have had a panic attack over heights. I know personally I would have a small panic attack being on that thing. Heights freak the crap out of me. Especially not being enclosed in something. Even planes freak me out and II refuse window seats.

26th March 2022, 06:19 PM	#24
Skeptic Ginger Nasty Woman Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 93,408	Originally Posted by Olmstead Wouldn't he be pushed down as the ride decelerates? Not 'pushed' down but if the ride slowed and he didn't that could happen. But it would have to be dramatic slowing I would think to keep him from holding on. I also wonder if he was too big for the seat making it so he wasn't back far enough. If a person is too large for a chair it forces the person to sit too far forward in it.

26th March 2022, 06:30 PM	#25
cullennz Banned Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: NZ Posts: 21,318	Having said that, when I say I would have a panic attack on that and too be frank wouldn't go near it, there is no ***** way I would be messing anything holding me onto it though. I Should point out I had a slight panic attack just taking some kiwi relatives who came to London while I was living there and I stupidly thought the London Eye might be a good excursion for them. Was litterally sitting on the floor of the pod thing like an idiot with my eyes shut. I was brought up in the South Island and couldn't even handle hanging out in the Alps It is a real thing with some people and heights, believe me

26th March 2022, 06:37 PM	#27
cullennz Banned Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: NZ Posts: 21,318	Originally Posted by Mike! His friends are being quoted as saying he was panicking before the ride started dropping, saying something to the effect of, "If something goes wrong tell my mom and dad I love them." I wonder if he was having some kind of panic attack from the heights themselves, and in the process he damaged the safety armature somehow? How strong would the restraint mechanism be? Think this is the most telling point. You would think if people had a brain they would have installed some sort of panic button in each position. Would mean it makes other people wait for a bit while it is lowered at normal speed and they are let out, but tough tits.

26th March 2022, 06:44 PM	#28
Skeptic Ginger Nasty Woman Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 93,408	Originally Posted by cullennz Having said that, when I say I would have a panic attack on that and too be frank wouldn't go near it, there is no ***** way I would be messing anything holding me onto it though. I Should point out I had a slight panic attack just taking some kiwi relatives who came to London while I was living there and I stupidly thought the London Eye might be a good excursion for them. Was litterally sitting on the floor of the pod thing like an idiot with my eyes shut. I was brought up in the South Island and couldn't even handle hanging out in the Alps It is a real thing with some people and heights, believe me We went on one where the passenger cars slide back and forth on a track as well as going around the wheel. I couldn't wait to get off the thing.

26th March 2022, 07:22 PM	#30
mgidm86 Philosopher Join Date: Jan 2003 Posts: 8,624	I don't trust rides like that anymore. I think too much about how the ride is built, wondering if the dude who put the bolts on was high at the time. I think I developed this "fear" after being at a carnival and seeing the druggies who would work there. ****. That. I do not want to watch the video. I will add that America is a nation of fat people, so any ride should be able to hold a 300 pound person no problem (my opinion).
mgidm86 Philosopher Join Date: Jan 2003 Posts: 8,624	__________________ Why bother?

26th March 2022, 07:46 PM	#31
cullennz Banned Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: NZ Posts: 21,318	Originally Posted by mgidm86 I will add that America is a nation of fat people, so any ride should be able to hold a 300 pound person no problem (my opinion). Never really been that great at the whole conversion thing of the top of my head thing, and have never had a very good idea about pounds. Just actually did a conversion online to KG. That is 136kg. Your average All Black rugby player is about 112kg and they are fricken massive. What sort of idiot would let someone that size on that thing? Even Jonah Lomu was only 120kg (265 pounds) at 6 foot 5 Putting aside the argument what sort of parent lets their kid get that size, as unkind.

26th March 2022, 07:53 PM	#32
Bob001 Penultimate Amazing Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: US of A Posts: 16,576	Originally Posted by Skeptic Ginger That's a horrid thud. I don't see how he fell out unless he panicked or something. If you're on a ride that's spinning, I could see it. I went flying off a playground merry-go-round spinny thing some bigger kids were pushing real hard. My hands lost their grip. But that thing's not spinning. And going down he wouldn't be tossed out like that, it would have been forced up into the bar-harness. And you'd be holding tight to that bar. I'm not saying he jumped, that makes no sense. But I'm trying to figure out ..... This might be part of the problem: Quote: At Free Fall's peak, riders are tilted forward, putting additional pressure on the safety harness as it drops. https://www.wesh.com/article/orlando...afety/39542387 So extra stress, no footrest and no waist belt. Not a good combination.
	Last edited by Bob001; 26th March 2022 at 07:57 PM.

26th March 2022, 08:07 PM	#33
cullennz Banned Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: NZ Posts: 21,318	Just noticed the post with reports saying the kid was actually 330 pounds. That is basically about 150kg The weight of 2 normal sized kids or even 2 smaller type adults in one seat. Surely that must be an error?, or the people who run the thing deserve to pay whatever it takes for letting the dude on the thing. In fact given this maybe the geezers heart just gave out and heart attack, given the panic attack mentioned, and he just slid out.
	Last edited by cullennz; 26th March 2022 at 08:16 PM.

26th March 2022, 08:13 PM	#34
cullennz Banned Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: NZ Posts: 21,318	If the kid was carry that sort of weight round all day at 14 I think him having the strength to break the thing holding him in is kind of confirmed. Unless he had to have a wheel chair, but can't see that mentioned.

26th March 2022, 08:16 PM	#35
Warp12 Banned Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: USA Posts: 7,583	Originally Posted by cullennz If the kid was carry that sort of weight round all day at 14 I think him having the strength to break the thing holding him in is kind of confirmed. Unless he had to have a wheel chair, but can't see that mentioned. I'm fairly certain that the forces applied due to his weight and the physics of the ride are far more significant factors than his physical strength. But I don't design these things, so who knows.
	Last edited by Warp12; 26th March 2022 at 08:20 PM.

26th March 2022, 08:37 PM	#36
cullennz Banned Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: NZ Posts: 21,318	Originally Posted by Warp12 I'm fairly certain that the forces applied due to his weight and the physics of the ride are far more significant factors than his physical strength. But I don't design these things, so who knows. Tending after thinking more, taking into the size of the kid, the quotes from people hearing him at the top which sounded like a panic attack, it probably was basically a clinically obese in the extreme boy, who should never have been allowed on the thing in the first place's heart going "Buy buy boss" when it fell and there might not be contingency built in for unconcious people, and they could just slide under. My ruling,,,,,,, As like Judge Dredd, my word is law. Parents were crap (said I wasn't going to mention them, but needs to be said). Ride runner to blame for letting the dude on there. Company who hires him to blame for hiring a complete dumb arse. Whether that means the parents should be entitled for some massive pay out for letting their kid get so fat and not having responsibility for what stupid rides he got on at 14 is beyond my knowledge of US law. Having said that with the parents. I do feel sorry for the idiots. Losing kids before yourself must be the most horrible thing known to man I think.

26th March 2022, 09:10 PM	#37
theprestige Penultimate Amazing Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: The Antimemetics Division Posts: 63,599	Technically he didn't die on the ride.
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26th March 2022, 09:16 PM	#38
cullennz Banned Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: NZ Posts: 21,318	Originally Posted by theprestige Technically he didn't die on the ride. Becoming unconcious from your heart giving out doesn't kill you straight away. Falling from a Boeing 787 doesn't kill you. It is the hitting the ground, but we are looking for likely reasons why he fell in the first place. Even if the dude survived that fall, frankly if it was me I would rather be brown bread given what injuries he would have had if he lived. Secretly wouldn't surprise me if someone with a bit of pity at the hospital decided that.
	Last edited by cullennz; 26th March 2022 at 09:19 PM.